In article <120220141630224286%michelle@michelle.org>,
Michelle Steiner <michelle@michelle.org> wrote:
>In article <n0wnzK.16wz@kithrup.com>, David Goldfarb
><goldfarb@ocf.berkeley.edu> wrote:
>
>> I was with everyone here: I raised to 5. Partner held:
Not everyone :-).
>> Q4
>> KQJ3
>> T
>> AKQ976
>>
>> and the opponents took the first three tricks, down 1. The field
>> was playing a club partscore our way (more often in 3 than 4, to
>> be sure) and getting +130.
Even more clearly, you were playing fast arrival, with partner's pass of
3S showing extras. Otherwise, this hand has already overbid enough and
would pass 3S. (It forced to 4C possibly facing xxx xx xxxxx xx.
Hopefully down only 2.)
>Maybe your partner should have doubled 3S, asking you to choose between
>hearts and clubs; on the bidding, there's no way it can be a penalty
>double.
Clearly it should be a penalty-oriented double, to convert partner's
forcing pass on a possible misfit to penalties. Holding 2 spades here
is unexpected good defense and bad offense. Qx makes it even more
defense-oriented. On partner's actual hand with a club fit, it is
hard to pass since he has a slam try, but 3Sx is your best spot since
3NT and 5C are down 1. 3Sx loses 1 spade, 2-4 hearts, 1 diamond,
diamond ruff and 1-2 clubs most days for down 2-4. 3S was a large
error.
I don't see any better bid than the 3H overbid. Maybe 2NT (good/bad)
then 3H to show the bad 3H. 3H usually has 5-6 shape.
Bruce